Charging buckets



Feb. 25, 1958 F. T. KAISER 2,

CHARGING BUCKETS Filid Jan. 4, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS Feb. 25,1958 F. T. KAISER CHARGING BUCKETS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 4, 1956gm Hm I IN V EN TOR. mm

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United States Patent CHARGING BUCKETS Francis T. Kaiser, PortWashington, Wis., assignor to Modern Equipment Company, Port Washington,Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application January 4, 1956, Serial No.557,335

6 Claims. (Cl. 294-69) This invention relates to improvements incharging buckets. In foundries it is common practice to utilizecylindrical buckets having vertically movable bell-shaped bottoms forthe purpose of delivering a charge of pig iron, coke and lime into acupola. These buckets are commonly moved into the door or receivingopening of the cupola by means of a skip-carriage or by an overheadcarrier, there being mechanism in connection with each type oftransporting device for moving the bucket into discharge position andfor then discharging the contents by mechanically lowering thebell-shaped bottom. With the large bell type of bottom commonly used,all of the charge must fall outwardly of the periphery of the bucketwith the result that the charge is thrown against the sides of thecupola, and then bounces back toward the center. Furthermore, due tothis method of discharge there must be substantial clearance between theperiphery of the bucket and the sides of the cupola lining, otherwisethere is insufficient room for the charge to fall downwardly.

In melting iron in a cupola, coke is placed in the bottom to extend somedistance'above the tuyeres and each succeeding layer of iron isaccompanied by a layer of coke in order to maintain the bed at thisproper melting height. In large cupolas where iron and coke are solidlypacked in the center of the cupola and loose near the outside wall, theentering air will pass up the sides of the cupola because this is thepath of least resistance due to the loose packing. This causes poorcombustion at the center of the cupola and chilling of the falling slag.Such chilled slag eventually blocks up the tuyeres and may entirely stopthe melting operation after a sufiicient period of time. It is thusapparent that it is desirable to'maintain a looseness near the center ofthe cupola and' bucket, and the cone is rigid. As a result, there isthe' possibility of material catching around the cone and preventing theclosing of the swingable segments.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improvedcharging bucket having a novel bottom construction which provides foreificient distribution of the charge to maintain a loose condition inthe center of the cupola, the bucket being substantially cylindrical,and there being means for preventing any large particles of the chargefrom jamming when the bucket is being dumped. i

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a charging buckethaving bottom doors which are hinged in a position which is offsetupwardly on the sides of the bucket, said doors being movable to closedposition around the stem of a relatively small cone, and the latterbeing in a fixed vertical position below the doors when the latter areclosed and being mounted for free swinging movement.

A further, more specific object is to provide a charging bucket as abovedescribed, wherein there is a pair of doors, one being adapted tooverlap the other, and wherein there is novel means for releasablylatching the doors in closed position.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved chargingbucket having swinging doors which are capable of being automaticallyclosed when the bucket enters the loading pit.

A further object of the invention is to provide in combination with acharging bucket as above described, means at the loading pit forsupporting the bucket with its cone in depending position, said meansalso being constructed to automatically close the bucket doors.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of theimproved charging bucket, and all of its parts and combinations, as setforth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof. In the accompanyingdrawings, illustrating two embodiments of the invention, in which thesame reference numerals designate the same or similar parts in all ofthe views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the charging bucket looking principallyat a side thereof with the doors opened;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the lower portionof the bucket with the doors closed and viewing a different portion ofthe side from Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the upperportion of the bucket, parts being broken away and shown in section toillustrate the swinging mounting for the upper end of the stem of thecone;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view through a loading pit showing thebucket and a portion of the bucket track in side elevation, the doors ofthe bucket being closed;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of a modification, the bucket beingshown at the loading station just before closing of the doors; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view showing the lower portion of the bucket ofFig. 6 after the doors have been closed at the loading station, and withthe bucket in fully lowered position.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 designatesthe charging bucket, which bucket is generally cylindrical in shape, butpreferably departs from the true cylindrical contour by havingoppositely disposed fiatened side portions 11. Projecting from a side ofthe bucket above the bottom thereof are two sets of pivot cars 12, eachset including spaced members. Arms 13 project upwardly from the rearedge of a door 14, the upper end of each arm being received between thecars 12 of each set, and being pivoted in position on a pin 15, as isclear from Fig. 2.

On the opposite side of the bucket, additional sets of ears 16 which areidentical to the cars 12, project. Arms 17, like the arms 13, projectfrom the outer edge of a complementary door member 18. The upper ends ofthe arms 17 are pivoted to the cars 16 as at 19.

The door members include plates 20 and 21 having reinforcing ribs 22 and23 on their upper sides. Welded to the undersides of the plates arereinforcing strips 24 for the door 14, and 25 for the door 18. Inaddition to the above, the door 14 has a projecting lip 26 on its inneredge which is adapted to overlap. the edge 27 of the door 13 when thedoors are closed. The plate portion 20-of the door 14 also has laterallyprojecting side extensions 28, one on each side of the door, which areadapted to be engaged by the lower ends of latches 29. The latter arepivoted as at 30 within the straps 31, there being one latch member oneach side of the bucket. The upper ends of the pivoted latches 29 areconnected bya semicircular yoke 32, there being tripping extensionpieces 33 which extend upwardly and at an angle away from the bucket asshown in Fig. l, and which carry a roller 34 between their upper ends.Pressure on the roller 34 when the bucket contacts the lining of acupola will cause pivoting of the latch members and release of the door14. Inasmuch as the lip 26 on the door 14 is holding the door 18 inclosed position, the latter will also be simultaneously released. Whenthere is no pressure on the doors, they will hang by gravity in openposition approximately as shown in Fig. 1. It is to be noted that thelip 26 is formed with a recess 35 intermediate its length and there is asimilar recess in the edge 27 of the door 18.

Within the bucket a short distance below the top is a transverse hollowsupport 36, the ends of the support being welded or otherwise suitablysecured to the inner surface of the bucket, and said support having acentral bottom opening 36'. Pivoted within the support, on atransversely extending pin 37, is a pivot piece 38 having a lowerportion which depends through the hole 36' and which has an eye 39. Aloop 40 projecting upwardly from the upper end of a stem 41 interengageswith the eye 39 so that the stem 41 may swing in one plane relative tothe pivot member 38, and may swing in a plane at right angles theretowith the member 38 on the pin 37. The pivotal connection in effectprovides a universal motion. Surrounding the margin of the opening 36and projecting downwardly therefrom around the upper end of the stem 41is a short tube 42. The tube is of substantially larger diameter thanthe stem 41, but is nevertheless of sufficiently small diameter so as todesirably limit the amount of possible free swinging movement of thestem.

On the lower end of the stem 41 is a relatively small cone 43. It is tobe noted that the external diameter of the base of the cone isrelatively small with respect to the diameter of the bottom of thebucket 10, so that there is ample room for material to fall from thebottom of the bucket around the cone. It is also to be noted that thestem 41 is of such length that it projects below the bottom of thebucket with the cone always below the bottom of the bucket and below thedoors 14 and 18 when the latter are closed, as in Fig. 2. When the doorsare closed, the stem 41 for the cone is received in the recess 35 of thedoor 14 and in a corresponding recess of edge 27 of the door 18 and isheld rigidly in centered condition.

As before mentioned, the doors 14 and 18 are released when the bucket isin charging position within the cupola due to impingement of the roller34 against the cupola lining. This, of course, releases the charge intothe cupola. As the empty bucket is being returned to the loading pit oninclined tracks such as the tracks 44 shown in Fig. 5, the doors hang inopen position as in Fig. l. The loading pit 45 may have a bottomdepression 46 and projecting over the depression are spaced horizontalrails 47. The rails 47 are preferably supported from the underside ofspaced supports 48. Depending from the supports 48 are U-shaped supports49. The rails 47 are spaced apart a distance less than the width of thedoors 14 and 18, but a distance greater than the maximum diameter of thecone 43. Thus, as the hanging doors contact the spaced rails 47, theywill be pressed into closed position as the bucket is riding down on thetracks 44. When the doors are fully closed, they will automatically snapinto the latches 29. In addition, there may be suitably supportedlateral guides 50 for guiding the cone to itsposition of Fig. 5, andspaced inclined guides 51 for starting to close the rear door beforesaid door reaches the horizontal tracks 47.

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate a door closing arrangement in the loading pitfor use in foundries where the bucket is lowered vertically into theloading pit, rather than on an inclined track. Referring to Figs. 6 and7, there are suitably supported spaced door closing members 52 a shortdistance above the bottom of the pit 45. When the bucket is beinglowered straight downwardly, the hanging cone 43 will pass through thespace 53 between i the door closing members 52. The doors will engagethe members 52 and be urged to the closing position of Fig. 7. In thisparticular arrangement it is preferred to have the doors equipped withrollers 54 which are positioned for impingement against the uppersurface of the door closing plates 52.

Figs. 6 and 7 show a cone 43 which is of modified form, and which has adepending portion 55 of decreasing diameter with a centering recess 56for engagement with a centering pin 57, as shown in Fig. 7. Thus, as thebucket reaches its final position the cone will be held in centeredposition by the pin 57.

With the use of the improved charging bucket, when the charge is beingdumped into the cupola, the relatively small cone in conjunction withthe straight-sided bucket provides for efficient distribution of thecharge, with a loose condition maintained in the center of the cupola.While the charge is falling, the doors will readily swing a wider-openposition than that shown in Fig. 1 whenever they are thus urged byfalling particles. In addition, the novel swinging mounting for the cone43 permits the cone to swing in one direction or another to prevent anyportions of the charge from getting stuck between the cone and a side ofthe bucket, or between the cone and one of the doors. Thus, relativelylarge pieces will fall from the bucket without causing trouble. Troubleis also obviated by having the cone suspended a substantial distancebelow the bottom of the bucket. Thus the doors may close completelywithout having to close around the cone, it being merely necessary toprovide space for the stem of the cone.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from thespirit of the invention, and all such changes are contemplated as maycome within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A cupola charging bucket comprising a bucket portion having a bottomopening, a cone of substantially less maximum diameter than the diameterof said bottom opening having an upwardly projecting stem, supportingmeans within said bucket to which the upper end of said stem isswingably connected to be suspended substantially centrally of thebucket, the stem being of such length that the cone is supported belowthe bottom opening, closure means for said bottom opening movablyconnected to the bucket, and means for releasably holding said closuremeans in closing position around said stem and above said cone.

2. A cupola chargin bucket comprising a bucket portion having a bottomopening, a cone of substantially less maximum diameter than the diameterof said bottom opening having an upwardly projecting stem, supportingmeans within said bucket to which the upper end of said stem isswingably connected to be suspended substantially centrally of thebucket, the stern being of such length that the cone is supported belowthe bottom opening, complementary closure members for said bottomopening movably connected to the bucket and having edges which areadapted to meet centrally of the bottom when theclosure members areclosed, said edges having complementary recesses at the center of thebottom opening when said closure members are closed, and means forreleasably holding said closure members in closing position above saidcone, with said stem between said closure members and within saidcomplementary recesses.

tion having a bottom opening, a cone of substantially less maximumdiameter than the diameter of said bottom opening having an upwardlyprojecting stem, supporting means within said bucket to which the upperend of said stem is swingably connected to be suspended substantiallycentrally of the bucket, the stem being of such length that the cone issupported below the bottom opening, complementary closure members forsaid bottom opening movably connected to the bucket, means forreleasably holding said closure members in closing position above saidcone with said stem between said closure members, said cone having abottom central recess for engagement with a centering pin when thebucket is in a loading pit to hold the cone and stem against swingingmovement.

4. A cupola charging bucket comprising a bucket portion having a bottomopening, a cone of substantially less maximum diameter than the diameterof said bottom opening having an upwardly projecting stem, supportingmeans within said bucket to which the upper end of said stem isswingably connected to be suspended substantially centrally of thebucket, the stem being of such length that the cone is supported belowthe bottom opening, a pair of closure members for said bottom openinghingedly connected to opposite portions of the bucket, each closuremember having a side opposite its hinged portion which is swingabletoward and away from said stem and which is provided with a recessmidway of its length, and means for releasably holding said closuremembers in closing position above said cone with the stem between thepair of closure members in said recesses.

5. A cupola charging bucket comprising a bucket portion having a bottomdump opening, a charge distributing member of substantially less maximumdiameter than the diameter of said bottom dump opening having anupwardly projecting stem, a transverse hollow support within an upperportion of said bucket having a bottom opening, means within saidsupport and depending from said opening of the support to which theupper end of said stem is connected for universal swinging movement tobe suspended substantially centrally of the bucket, the stern being ofsuch length that the charge distributing member is supported below thebottom dump opening, closure means for said bottom dump openingconnected to the bucket, and means for releasably holding said closuremeans in closing position around said stem and above said chargedistributing member.

6. A cupola charging bucket comprising a bucket portion having a bottomdump opening, a charge distributing member of substantially less maximumdiameter than the diameter of said bottom dump opening having anupwardly projecting stem, a transverse hollow support within an upperportion of said bucket having a bottom opening, means within saidsupport and depending from said opening of the support to which theupper end of said stem is connected for universal swinging movement tobe suspended substantially centrally of the bucket, the stem being ofsuch length that the charge distributing member is supported below thebottom dump opening, means depending from said hollow support adjacentthe margin of the bottom opening in said support and surrounding theupper portion of the stem for limiting the swinging movement thereof,closure means for said bottom dump opening connected to the bucket, andmeans for releasably holding said closure means in closing positionaround said stem and above said charge distributing member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSGermany Oct. 31, 1932

